FLICK! FLICK! FLICK!
Something was continuously hitting the window of Fluke's room. That faint sound woke his sleepy head. The young eleven-standard boy peeked through his heavy-lidded eyes and found some pebbles near the window that escaped the metal grilled of it. In an instant he knew who it was.
"Ten minutes Mike!" FLUKE shouted and jumped out of his bed realizing he would be again late for school today.
Hurriedly FLUKE washed up and grabbed his packed bag. His mom was busy in the kitchen.
"Mom! I'm leaving for school." FLUKE came running through the staircase.
"Leo! How many times do I have to tell you not to move out with an empty stomach? Have some toast and milk." She came out of the kitchen with a fresh glass of milk and some toast in a plate.
"Mom! Mike's already outside. He'll kill me if I won't go in a second." FLUKE grabbed a toast from the plate on her hand and kissed her cheeks. "Bye mom!"
" Leo! (hesitatingly) I'll take your bike to the mechanic this week. Bear some more days honey." His mother's eyes glittered.
"Mom! I've already said that it's fine. I don't need that bike now. Mike is already picking me up these days. I can continue this way for my remaining school days." Saying this, FLUKE ran out closing the main door.
His dad was never a part of his life. He ran away from home within the first week of his birth. He wanted to escape poverty to get success. But that reason now seems bullshit to Fluke. How can someone leave his family? 'DAD'! This familiar word seems very unfamiliar to him. Fluke always believed that the only thing his dad did for him was--- he gave birth to him.
"Sorry! Sorry! Really sorry brother! Here, take it." FLUKE put the toast from his hand into Mike's mouth.
"(Munch) Hey Fluke! (Gulp)Hurry up. If I get late for you, I'll kick your ass, you dickhead." Mike cursed chewing the toast.
FLUKE sat on the seat behind him and continued to argue while Mike paddled fast down the street. "Don't get angry. It was your entire fault. How tough is it to hit the window pane? Probably you missed numerous times before hitting the correct spot."
"Hugh! Don't underestimate my aim. It's perfect! (He flaunted his long strands of hair over his temple) It was you who was sleeping like a log perhaps." Mike taunted him.
"Really? Then I shall show you the heap of pebbles inside my room that you missed to aim." FLUKE mocked rolling his eyes.
"See! I told you. It was your fault. If you had closed the window last night, I could have easily hit the window pane and woken you earlier." Mike dodged the blame to Fluke again.
"Moron! Was it my fault now?" FLUKE pinched his butt.
"OUCH!" Mike trembled while paddling. "Stop poking my butt. Or else I'll make you fall down."
"Fine! Hurry up dude! We're seriously getting punished today." FLUKE peeked at the way ahead him.
And yes, Fluke's hunch was right. The school gate was already closed and Mr. Began, the gatekeeper, was guiding the gate.
"Hey Mr. BG! Could you please excuse us for today? I promise we won't be late again." FLUKE blinked his eyes to look cute and pouted his lips to look innocent.
"You lazy lad! How can I forget this innocent face? You can never get me wrong. You get late every three out of five days. It's almost your last year in school. Why can't you get serious?" Mr. Began glared at Fluke.
"Please Mr. BG! Please!" Mike begged him like a kid.
"Please Mr. BG!" FLUKE too joined joining hands and pleading to him.
"No! "There's a strict order from the Principal these days." He was adamant.
"Mr. BG! I know you can help us. You can turn a blind eye this time." FLUKE added some more affecting words.
"But you're infront of me. How can I turn a blind eye?" He was melting a little.
"If you just roam a little away from the gate, perhaps we can slip in without anyone noticing." FLUKE was wise in this case.
"Fine! But this will be definitely the last time Leo." Mr. Began quietly opened the gate and swiftly walked away from them, while they entered tip-toed giggling at what just happened.
"Why did he call you Leo?" Mike whispered as they moved inside their class.
"He's my distant relative." FLUKE whispered.
Mr. Began was his father's cousin elder brother. As he was from his father's side, they never talked much or met in any family functions. FLUKE just knew about him from his mom when he got admitted to this school. Whenever his mom visits the school, they usually greet each other as someone they know but never shared any belongingness like a family.
Panting and huffing, they ran straight to their class hoping the teacher doesn't scold them. Luckily, the teacher wasn't in the class so it was easy for them to sneak in.
Five classes were over and there was boredom and tiredness seen in everyone's faces. Soon it was lunch break and as usual, Mike and FLUKE ran competing to the canteen.
"Huff! Huff! What do you wanna eat?" FLUKE asked panting.
"Huff! Anything with meat." Mike answered as his mouth watered looking at the menu.
"I'll get some pork steam buns and pink milk for both of us. By the time you can get a table."
FLUKE waited in the queue while Mike wandered to get an empty table for them. The canteen becomes hustle and bustle with a crowd after the school decided to ban children going out to eat. So everyone has to eat from the canteen which becomes overcrowded now.
Finally FLUKE got the things and holding the plates, he looked for Mike over the sea of heads.
"Hey Fluke! Here!" FLUKE heard Mike's coarse voice shouting from a corner.
Walking through the congested fill, FLUKE finally reached the table. He kept the plates and huffed. "It's freaking a hassle every day; to get the food is one thing and to get a table is next level exhausting."
"I know! I can understand! But today we got a good place. Let's enjoy this food." Mike merrily pulled his plate and starred at it.
FLUKE sat down. "Tomorrow let's switch our jobs."
"Fine."
They had their lunch and grabbing their drinks, they went out of the canteen. They were strolling near the basketball court until the lunch break gets over.
"Hey Fluke! Have you completed the English assignment?" Mike asked.
"Yes but I forgot to bring it today. When's the last date?" FLUKE asked taking a sip from his drink.
"Today."
"-----"
"What?" Mike looked at his surprised face. "I'm sure it's today. I remember it correctly."
"Fuc*! How can I forget about it? Last night after completing it, I forgot to keep it inside my bag. SHIT!" FLUKE was freaking worried.
"What's now?"
"I think...I'll....I'll....." FLUKE was biting his lips in nervousness.
"Tell the truth to the teacher." Mike advised.
"Hmm..." FLUKE took a sip from his drink. "But I don't know if..."
THUD!!!!!!!!!!